Today's Mining Pulse
Chinese financing fuels a $98 billion mineral power shift
A wave of $98 billion in Chinese financing and heightened U.S. diplomatic activity has thrust critical minerals into the geopolitical spotlight. Resource‑rich nations such as the DRC, Brazil and Zambia are leveraging their mineral wealth to negotiate better terms and assert greater control over strategic industries.
Also developing:
SBM Offshore Interview: Advancing Future-Ready FPSOs Through Standardization, Robotics, AI and Lower‑carbon Solutions
SBM Offshore’s COO Alex Glenn detailed the Fast4Ward program, which shifts the company from bespoke FPSO designs to a standardized, modular, data‑driven model. The initiative introduces pre‑engineered hulls and topside modules, cutting delivery schedules by up to a year and delivering greater cost predictability. Robotics, AI‑enabled predictive maintenance, digital twins and low‑carbon solutions such as electrification and carbon‑capture are embedded to meet safety, sustainability and efficiency goals. Partnerships with SLB, Cognite and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries support the technology rollout.
China’s Rare Earth Magnet Exports to the US Keep Falling as Europe Gains
China’s shipments of rare‑earth permanent magnets to the United States fell 22.5% year‑on‑year in January‑February 2026, marking the seventh consecutive month of decline. The US now accounts for just 9.2% of China’s magnet exports, slipping to the third‑largest buyer behind...
China's Silver Purchases Hit Record February High
China pulls Silver from global markets to meet surging demand; The world's biggest buyer pulled in over 790 tons in the first two months, including nearly 470 tons in February, the highest ever for that month.
Epiroc African Order for Auto Cable-Electric Drills Adds to Good Year for Electric & Autonomous Fleets
Epiroc secured a SEK380 million (US$40.7 million) order for autonomous, cable‑electric Pit Viper 275 E blasthole drill rigs destined for African surface mines. The rigs, fully driverless and zero‑emission, will be delivered through the end of 2027, reinforcing Epiroc’s push toward electrified, automated fleets....
TransAstra Unveils $2.5M NASA‑Backed Bag‑Style Asteroid Mining Mission
Los Angeles‑based TransAstra announced its New Moon mission, a NASA‑funded effort to capture small near‑Earth asteroids with an inflatable bag and move them to a stable Earth‑adjacent orbit. The plan, demonstrated on the ISS, could see its first retrieval launch...
Oil Whipsaws as War Risk and Emergency Supply Measures Collide
Oil prices swung sharply this week as escalating war risk in the Middle East collided with a series of emergency supply measures. WTI fell to $94.13, down 3.98%, after traders weighed tanker delays in the Strait of Hormuz against strong...
The Race to Stabilize Oil Markets as the Iran War Expands
The Iran‑Israel conflict is spilling into global oil markets as strikes target both the Hormuz corridor and Iran’s Kharg Island export hub. U.S. officials have responded with a Jones Act waiver, Strategic Petroleum Reserve drawdowns, and the prospect of releasing...
Ghana’s Parliament Ratifies Atlantic Lithium’s Ewoyaa Mining Lease
Ghana’s Parliament has formally ratified Atlantic Lithium’s Ewoyaa mining lease, granting the company exclusive rights to develop a lithium mine and processing plant. The 15‑year lease, renewable under Ghanaian law, incorporates the new 2025 royalty regulations, aligning fiscal terms with...
The Future of South African Mining
South Africa’s mining sector is at a crossroads, buoyed by record attendance at the Mining Indaba and a government push to develop critical mineral reserves. President Ramaphosa’s recent State of the Nation Address framed mining as a "sunrise industry," while...
Lucara Finds Rare Blue Diamond in Botswana
Canadian miner Lucara Diamond announced the recovery of a 36.92‑carat Type IIb blue diamond from stockpiled ore at its Karowe mine in Botswana. The stone was located using X‑ray transmission technology, adding to a year that already produced five diamonds over...
TC Energy Could Be Open to Return to B.C. LNG Pipeline Project as Global Gas Crunch Threatens
TC Energy CEO François Poirier said the company could consider re‑entering British Columbia’s Prince Rupert Gas Transmission project if the Ksi Lisims LNG venture approaches it. Recent Middle‑East tensions have heightened the appeal of Canadian West‑Coast LNG, improving the permitting outlook...
Transocean, Noble, COSL, Seadrill, and Valaris Pinpointed as Rig Backlog Powerhouses
Westwood Global Energy’s latest RigLogix analysis identifies Transocean, Noble, COSL, Seadrill and Valaris as the five offshore drilling firms holding the largest floating‑rig backlog for 2026. The overall backlog fell 25% in 2025 versus 2024, largely because Brazil awarded few...
Zimbabwe: Court Halts Mining On Ariston Estate, Declares Claims Illegal in Landmark Environmental Ruling
Zimbabwe's High Court has nullified two mining certificates on Ariston Holdings' Kent Estate, declaring them illegal. Justice Philda Muzofa ruled the certificates were issued before the syndicate obtained a mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment Certificate, making them void. The court ordered...
Gold Price Plunge Triggers Steep Declines in Top Mining Stocks
A sharp drop in gold prices—down more than 5% to under $4,600 per ounce—sparked a coordinated sell‑off across the mining sector. Shares of B2Gold, Newmont, Barrick, Hecla, Gold Royalty and others fell between 6% and 12%, pulling the Canadian TSX...
Lynas Announces First Samarium Oxide Output in Malaysia
Lynas Rare Earths announced the first production of samarium oxide at its Malaysia facility, achieving the milestone ahead of the planned April 2026 timeline. The output adds samarium oxide to Lynas' portfolio of separated heavy rare earth (HRE) oxides, joining dysprosium...
Gold Buying Prices in Zimbabwe per Gram/ Ounce, 20 March 2026
Fidelity Gold Refinery (FGR) released its official gold buying rates for Zimbabwe on March 20 2026. The list prices range from $134.20 per gram for small samples (5‑9 g) up to $141.66 per gram for fire‑assay cash transactions on gold above 100 g. SG‑90 %+...
Platinum Is Back. So Why Are Its Miners Shunning Growth?
After a year of depressed prices, platinum‑group metal (PGM) prices have nearly doubled and producer shares rose over 70%. Despite the rally, CEOs of companies that control 80% of global PGM output said they will prioritize life‑of‑mine extensions, cost discipline...
Southern Silver Drills 6.3 Metres of 874 G/T AgEq at Cerro Las Minitas Project, Durango, México
Southern Silver Exploration reported high‑grade silver‑lead‑zinc intercepts from its Cerro Las Minitas drill program in Durango, Mexico. A 6.3‑metre interval returned 395 g/t Ag (874 g/t AgEq) and a 1.5‑metre sub‑interval hit 886 g/t Ag (2,062 g/t AgEq). Additional skarn zones delivered 12 metres at...
Clearance in Place for Work on Southeast Asian FSRU to Move Forward
Gas Malaysia has secured a Letter to Proceed from Malaysia’s Energy Commission, clearing the way for the offshore RGT Yan floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) project in Kedah. The FSRU is designed to handle up to 6 mtpa of LNG,...
Department Of Interior Erodes More Protections In Alaska
The U.S. Department of the Interior announced the partial revocation of Public Land Orders 5150 and 5180, opening up to 2.1 million acres in Alaska’s Dalton Utility Corridor for state ownership. The move clears the way for mining projects, the proposed...
Iran's Oil Revenue Resilient Despite Kharg Threat
The regime has spent years building alternative ways to export its crude, said Anas Alhajji, a global energy markets expert. There is evidence that the regime is beginning to use them. He said there is a false impression in the media...
Copper Prices Slip as Inventories Surge, Contango Widens
Copper eases as LME and SHFE inventories surge, widening contango and cooling near-term demand. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/03/copper-prices-soften-as-inventories.html
Mount Hope Expands Strategic Landholding in Prolific Cobar Basin
Mount Hope Mining secured two new exploration licences, EL9874 and EL9875, adding 194 km² to its holdings in the southern Cobar Basin and bringing its total footprint to roughly 660 km². EL9875 sits directly along strike of the prolific Wagga Tank‑Southern Nights...
Sea‑based Oil Reserves Dwindling, Iran Holds One‑third
This is a very important story: “…The amount of oil stored at sea — a vital buffer for markets — is running down fast…” About 1/3 of what’s left is Iranian. https://t.co/zS7v0338Ay
China’s Booming Silver Demand Drives 8‑year Import Surge
China’s ravenous appetite for silver lifted overseas purchases to an eight-year high at the start of 2026, as importers fed a surge in industrial and investment demand. https://t.co/mlxOgJfWC9
Crushing It: Theta Locks in Key Plant as Countdown to First Gold Begins
Theta Gold Mines has secured a manufacturing contract with NMS Africa for a three‑stage crushing and screening plant for its TGME gold project in South Africa. The long‑lead equipment will be fabricated and delivered within 125 days, with commissioning targeted...
AI Accelerates Weeks‑Long Tasks to Seconds, Madison Advances
"AI will do a tremendous amount of work in seconds that would take you weeks to accomplish," said @AmerPacMine 's Eric Saderholm. The company is advancing its Madison project. $USGDF https://t.co/qCMh4iFwIs https://t.co/4qJ55D1R0B
Energy Crisis Persists Beyond Iran War Resolution
The global energy crisis will drag on even if the Iran war ends tomorrow: Energy Outlook Advisors https://t.co/xPMnRiP3fO
Honeymoon Period: Boss Boosts Uranium Resources
Boss Energy has refreshed its uranium resource estimates for the Gould’s Dam and Jason’s Deposit projects in South Australia, reporting a 30% increase to 33.1 million pounds of contained uranium at Gould’s Dam and a 9% rise to 12 million pounds at...
Japan, Australia, Brazil Team Up for De‑China Rare Earths
“Japan’s bid to build a “de-Chinafied” rare earth supply system – with Australia and Brazil on-board” https://t.co/LpDn23sEHq
Coal Mine Expansions Given Green Light in New Policy at Odds with State Climate Goals
The New South Wales government released a 2026‑2050 mining roadmap that bans new coal mines but permits extensions of existing operations for up to 25 years. Expansions will be subject to emissions conditions, though only three of the state’s 37...
Atlantic Lithium Marks Watershed Moment Amid Spodumene Demand
Big news @AtlanticLithium Congrats Keith Muller, Amanda Harsas, Neil Herbert and the rest of team on what is indeed a watershed moment for the company and Ghana. Considering recent Core Lithium financing, $PLS/Canmax off-take and many other indicators of the strong...
Apollo Delivers Golden Strike for Southern Cross
Southern Cross Gold announced its highest‑grade shallow intersection at the Apollo prospect, part of the 100% owned Sunday Creek gold‑antimony project in Victoria. Four drill holes returned consistent mineralisation, highlighted by a 17.3 m composite at 22.9 g/t gold equivalent, including 15.3 g/t...
Australian Innovation Aims to Reshape Global Copper Mining
Loop Hydrometallurgy, an Australian start‑up spun out of Macquarie University, unveiled the Halion Loop – a salt‑water leaching system that extracts copper directly at the mine site. The process claims up to 70% lower power consumption and an 80% reduction...
US Crude Being Shipped to Asia Via Panama Canal
Asian refiners are increasingly routing U.S. Gulf Coast crude through the Panama Canal as the U.S.–Israeli war with Iran disrupts Middle‑East supplies. Medium‑sized Aframax and partially‑loaded Suezmax vessels have been booked for shipments to South Korea and Japan, the first...
Senator Launches Investigation Into Methane Pollution in the Permian Basin
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse announced a Senate Environment Committee probe into the Permian Basin after MethaneSAT satellite data revealed methane emissions four times higher than EPA estimates. The inquiry targets eight major oil and gas producers, demanding details on monitoring practices...
Teck’s Undisclosed Royalty Worth Billions on Barrick’s Fourmile Could Stymie IPO
Teck Resources disclosed a 10% net legacy profit royalty on Barrick Gold’s Fourmile project, increasing to 15% after 6 million ounces are produced. The royalty is estimated to generate $100‑200 million annually, potentially worth billions over the mine’s life and representing about...
Silver's Historic Selloff Defies Strong Fundamentals
The selloff in silver over the past 15 days has been one of the most extreme moves we’ve seen in history. Only two other episodes are comparable: One marked a major peak, the other a major bottom. Personally, I have never seen a...
QatarEnergy Details Overnight Damage to GTL Plant
Qatar state-owned LNG giant QatarEnergy has published a statement detailing the overnight damage, providing more granularity (particularly around the damage of the GTL plant). https://t.co/MMZHWkvGoQ
Jameson Cell Powers Valterra Platinum’s Low Mass Pull Strategy at Mogalakwena North
Glencore Technology’s Jameson Cell is now fully commissioned at Valterra Platinum’s Mogalakwena North Concentrator, enabling the mine’s low‑mass‑pull strategy. The new cells have cut concentrate volumes by 14% while boosting grade by 16%, delivering a 21% reduction in material handling...
PTX Metals Finds Cheap Copper‑Platinum, Drilling at W2
PTX Metals $PTX.V $PANXF Someone got some nice cheapies today and price is threatening to make a hammer. Drills turning at W2. Over $35M spent by Inco and Aurora ... over 2.5B lbs Cu Equivalent including 2M oz...
NGM Saga Continues; Enter Stage Left: The Royalty Nobody Talked About
Fourmile, a high‑grade, long‑life gold discovery in Nevada’s Carlin belt, has become a cornerstone of Barrick’s planned North American spin‑out. The find sits on premium infrastructure and promises substantial ounces, but Teck holds a 10‑15% net‑profits royalty on a significant...
Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. To Host Live X Spaces Q&A on DDH-26-02 Results From West Advocate Hydrogen Project, Nova Scotia
Québec Innovative Materials Corp. will host a live X Spaces Q&A on March 20, 2026, to discuss drill hole DDH-26-02 results from its West Advocate natural hydrogen project in Nova Scotia. The session, open to the public, will cover the...
BQE Water and Nuvumiut Development to Operate Water Treatment Plants at Nunavik Nickel
BQE Water Inc. and Inuit‑owned Nuvumiut Development have secured a three‑year agreement with Canadian Royalties Inc. to operate five seasonal mine‑water treatment plants at the Nunavik Nickel Project. The joint venture, registered with Makivvik corporation, will run the systems from...
Boliden Commits to New Hoist System at Garpenberg Which Will Facilitate Switch to Electric Hauling
Boliden announced a SEK 4 billion investment in a new 1,700‑metre hoist system at its Garpenberg Zn‑Pb‑Cu‑Ag‑Au mine, targeting a 4.5 Mt per year production rate and enabling a shift from diesel to electric haulage by the early 2030s. A parallel SEK 1.5 billion commitment will fund...
Freeport Applies for El Abra Mine Life Extension
Freeport‑McMoRan subsidiary El Abra Mining Co. has filed an operational continuity plan with Chile’s Environmental Impact Assessment System to extend the El Abra copper mine’s life by roughly 40 years. The proposal follows comprehensive technical and environmental studies and outlines...
Alberta Court of Appeal Lets Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation Intervene in Appeal on Planned Coal Mine
The Alberta Court of Appeal granted Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation permission to intervene in the appeal concerning Summit Coal’s Mine 14 project. The intervention focuses on whether the Alberta Energy Regulator’s CEO lawfully cancelled a public hearing under section 42 of the...
Heliostar Metals Poised for Massive 2026 Growth
From scrap heaps to cash flow—that’s how JV describes @HeliostarMetals 2025 results. 2026 will be MUCH bigger, plus $27M is earmarked for exploration. See "What the market hasn't figured out" and why this #gold stock is a Buy: https://t.co/UN3Gky1oUZ
N Dakota Perks up on Widening Brent-WTI Spread
North Dakota regulators are watching a rapidly widening Brent‑WTI price spread, now $11.92 per barrel, after it nearly doubled since early March. State oil output slipped to 1.16 million barrels per day in January, down 13,000 b/d year‑over‑year, as cold weather and...
Multi‑horizon Drill Results Reveal Consistent Silver‑gold Base Mix
New drill results from @princesilverco at Pioche and a pattern is now starting to show: multiple horizons, consistent widths and a mix of #silver, #gold and base metals all showing up together. 2 drill rigs turning in the 9k meter...